First commercial flight of made-in-India Dornier plane tomorrow

Alliance Air's made-in-India aircraft - Dornier 228 - will be operated for its first commercial flight on Tuesday. The aircraft will fly on the Dibrugarh-Pasighat route, confirmed the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Monday.

In February, the Centre-run Alliance Air had signed a pact with government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to lease two 17-seater Dornier 228 aircraft. Alliance Air received its first Dornier 228 aircraft on Thursday, April 7.

The Dornier 228 aircraft's maiden flight would be from Dibrugarh in Assam to Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday. Alliance Air, in an official statement, explained that this flight will help boost connectivity in the northeastern states.

Alliance Air added that it will be India's first commercial airline to operate an Indian-made aircraft for civil operations. Till date, Dornier 228 planes were used by the armed forces only.

On the same day, there will also be the inauguration of the first flying training organisation of North East at Lilabari, Assam, the airline mentioned.

Both these events will be attended by Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Apart from them, secretary, MoCA,  Rajiv Bansal, Usha Padhee and Amber Dubey, Joint secretaries MoCA and other dignities from the state Governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Alliance Air will also be present.

In a statement, MoCA noted that the development of North Eastern region is not only of strategic importance, but is also part of India's growth story.

"Connectivity in NER is very essential and Under "Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN)", the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS), Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has identified NER as a priority area," it added.

Also read: Alliance Air takes delivery of Dornier 228; all about the Made-in-India aircraft